Reader's Guide / Getting Smarter About Ed Tech

Anthony Rebora

I once had a memorable
conversation with a veteran science teacher whose school had recently switched to a "flipped classroom" model. She and her colleagues were
expected to put together video-based lessons that students could complete on their own time on their school-provided tablets, which in turn would
free up class time for small-group projects and one-on-one instruction.

The teacher was never exactly sure why the school had decided to make this sudden
pedagogical shift, except that grant funding for the tablets seemed to be involved. Meanwhile, the staff received only about a half a week's worth of
training on the new model, delivered by an outside consultant. And once the program was underway, numerous logistical problems emerged. The
technology frequently malfunctioned. Many students had a hard time getting through the lessons without support and feedback. Teachers had
trouble managing their time and were working longer hours. Frustrations mounted.

The teacher I spoke to, who was no luddite, lamented that she could think of plenty of
better ways to spend money on classroom technology.

I suspect this tale of ed-tech dysfunction sounds familiar to many educators. While
arguably extreme, it is illustrative of the kinds of problems schools have had in adapting to the digital revolution. Indeed, it includes all the
hallmarks of school technology initiatives gone wrong—poor communication, questionable financial motivations, impulsive execution,
inadequate training, faulty equipment, and failure to account for the human dimensions of teaching and learning.

On the bright side, since many schools have gone through initiatives like this, we may
now be at a point—a kind of ed-tech 2.0, so to speak—where education leaders can take a more thoughtful, far-sighted approach to
tech integration. As teacher Kyle
Redford writes, "Experience has made us savvier, and, at times, more skeptical."

That message is echoed throughout this issue on "The Tech-Savvy School." Many of our
contributors discuss ways to harness the power of technology in schools through more deliberate and nuanced planning. Thus, for example,
Liz Kolb
presents a framework for evaluating the use of particular digital strategies in the context of a lesson. Catlin
Tucker outlines a three-pronged professional learning infrastructure to support schoolwide tech-initiatives like blended learning. And Richard Culatta
highlights the importance of creating a coherent vision and common language around tech projects.

Other contributors go even further, emphasizing the cultural and institutional changes
that may be required for schools to deliver on the true promise of technology to transform learning. In his article on fostering student agency, for
instance, Will
Richardson writes of the need to take time to reimagine classrooms and the role of teachers, and to engage in "important conversations
about assessment. …" Similarly, Simon Rodberg
recounts how a school where he was principal only began to see significant changes from its investment in technology when it
experimented with fundamental changes to class formats and curriculum structures (with teacher buy-in).

In his piece on digital equity, meanwhile, researcher Justin Reich
argues that to go beyond disjointed, superficial tech integration, schools must develop a "broader view of what's possible for all students."

Within this context of smarter stewardship, this issue also provides plenty of
examples of how educators are leveraging tech advancements to deepen and expand students learning in ways that would have been hard to
imagine even a few years ago. Shannon Putman and Lateefah Id-Deen and Jaime Donally write about the
use of augmented and virtual reality platforms to provide immersive lesson components. Redford explains how assistive technology apps have
helped her develop students' skills and "increase access to high-level curricula." And in a photo
feature, we look at a charter school in Washington, D.C., whose innovative curriculum aims to help its students become "tech creators,
not just consumers."

We hope these stories help you bring innovation and creativity to your school, without
the possible turmoil of earlier tech efforts.

› How do you factor in equity, beyond access, as you plan for technology
integration in your school or classroom?

› Can you think of a time that you used technology to simply extend existing
practices in your classroom? How could you have approached that lesson or activity more meaningfully?

› Have you and your colleagues considered conducting an audit of digitally
rich learning opportunities in your school or district? What do you think such an analysis would find in terms of possible digital divides among
students?

› Reflect on the rollout of a recent schoolwide technology initiative you led or
were part of. What went well? What didn't?

› Could Tucker's professional learning infrastructure—generating a
spark, elevating coaching, and supporting sustainability with PLCs—be adapted to a current or future technology initiative in your school?